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Grand admiral
Grand admiral is a historic naval rank, the highest rank in the several European navies that used it. It is best known for its use in Germany as . A comparable rank in modern navies is that of fleet admiral. Grand admirals in individual navies France In Bourbon Restoration France, the rank was an honorific one equivalent to that of marshal in the French Army. Germany | image = | image_size = 100px | caption = Shoulder board and sleeve | image2 = Kriegsmarine OF10-Grossadmiral 1945.svg | image_size2 = 50px | caption2 = Generaladmiral rank flag | service branch = | abbreviation = | rank = Five-Star | NATO rank = OF-10 | Non-NATO rank = O-11 | formation = 1901 | abolished = 1945 | higher rank = None | lower rank = Generaladmiral | equivalents = Generalfeldmarschall }} In the Imperial German Navy, and later in the , the rank was the equivalent of a British admiral of the fleet or a United States fleet admiral; as a five-star rank (OF-10). Like field marshals its holders were authorised to carry a baton.BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 9: 3-7653-3660-2, page 164; definition: «Großadmiral» The rank was created in 1901 and discontinued in 1945, after eight men were promoted to it. The next most junior rank was (admiral-general). Imperial Germany Before and during World War I, the following were made grand admirals of the Imperial German Navy ( ): * King Edward VII of the United Kingdom (26 June 1902) * (28 June 1905) * King Oscar II of Sweden (13 July 1905) * Prince Henry of Prussia (4 September 1909) * (27 January 1911) * (31 July 1918) Nazi Germany Großadmiral was the most senior rank of the , immediately senior to . There were no more grand admirals until 1939. The following men were made grand admirals during the Nazi regime: * , then-Commander-in-Chief of the , was made a grand admiral on 1 April 1939. * , commander of the U-Boat fleet, was made a grand admiral on 30 January 1943 upon succeeding Raeder as Commander-in-Chief. Austria-Hungary | footer = | footer_background = #000080 }} , commander of the Austro-Hungarian navy for part of World War I, was given the title of in 1916. No other active-duty officer (except members of the Imperial family) was ever given this rank. * May 12, 1916: (1851–1917) * October 9, 1916: Prince Henry of Prussia (1862–1929) * November 1, 1916: Kaiser Charles I of Austria (1887–1922) * February 22, 1917: Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany (1859–1941) Italy The rank of grand admiral ( ) was created by in 1924. It was established primarily to honour , who had been head of the Italian during World War I — he was the only person to be awarded the rank. It was equivalent to marshal of Italy in the army and also marshal of the Air Force. Zaire Under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko in the Republic of Zaire, Mavua Mudima, the commander of the Zairian navy and the country's defense minister from 1994 to 1997, held the rank of "grand admiral"Duke, Lynne (16 December 1997). Ex-Mobutu aides arrested. Washington Post. Retrieved 6 March 2018. even though the Zairian navy only consisted of some small patrol and river boats. Admiral Baudoin Liwanga, former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) from 2002 to 2004, was listed as being a Grand Admiral.DRC Mining Week 2018. Miningreview.com. 25 June 2018. In fiction Among the several grand admirals appearing in fiction and science fiction, one notable figure is Grand Admiral Thrawn of the Star Wars science fiction franchise. References Category:Naval ranks Category:Military ranks of Germany Category:Military ranks of Austria Category:Military ranks of Italy Category:Military ranks of France Category:Fictional military ranks